Museum hopping in Washington DC, the USA

Over time, the capital city of the USA has become synonymous with world-class museums and memorials. Other than a string of unique museums, there’s plenty of memorials – don’t miss the memorials to Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as well as the Vietnamese Veterans Memorial and the Marine Corps War Memorial.

For hardcore history buffs, a trip to the city is best begun with a visit to the National Museum of American History. At the heart of this Smithsonian institution lies the flag that inspired The Star-Spangled Banner, the US national anthem. Other must-sees here are Abraham Lincoln’s top hat. Across the road from the museum is the newer Smithsonian museum – the National Museum of African American History and Culture. It covers a wide array of exhibits and experiences of iconic African Americans with exhibits that include the iconic trumpet of Louis Armstrong. For a deeper insight into the times of the Holocaust, pay a visit to the harrowing US Holocaust Memorial Museum. It’ll definitely broaden your understanding of the Holocaust – its victims, perpetrators and bystanders. Here, you’ll find important artefacts and historic film footage of the unfortunate times.

Museum hopping doesn’t always have to mean a boring time for the kiddos. The city is home to plenty of museums that will have the little ones intrigued for hours. A definite favourite on their list will be the National Museum of Natural History with its Egyptian mummies, giant squids and other tarantula feedings. The enormous stuffed creatures in the Mammal Hall are universally loved! The National Air and Space Museum also makes for an interesting experience for the kids. The museum is home to moon rocks, spaceships and wild simulator rides. Be prepared to handle the crowds that head to see the Wright brothers’ flyer and the Apollo 11 Lunar Module.

If you’re looking to explore beyond the regular museums, there’s plenty to keep you interested as well. There’s an actual museum that showcases the War on Drugs (yes, that’s true). Run by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the museum covers exhibits that portray drug use over the last century and a half and popular commercials and campaigns discouraging drug use. And, then, there’s the National Museum of Women in the Arts – a museum solely dedicated to women’s artwork. Housed in a Renaissance Revival mansion, the museum includes more than 4,000 works ranging from works by Renaissance artists to modern day greats such as Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe.